Question

Now I have (1: the UI-loop, there my SurfaceView is placed), (2: a second thread, there the draw function from the UI-loop is called AND the update calculations from my Engine) and (3: the engine, there all the calculations stuff are).

Now I wonder how the best and smoothest way to do the SurfaceView independent from the actual frame rate. How shall I do so it will compensate if there is a low frame rate?

I think my current solution isn’t enough, see code below.

Thread-class

//Constructor stuff....

int static delay = 0; /* My delay in milliseconds, depends most on
which sort of game I'm trying to make */
@Override
public void run() {
 while (state==RUNNING) {
       long beforeTime = System.nanoTime();
       engine.updateSprites(); //Update calculations from my engine

 //Rita
 Canvas c = null;
 try {     

       c = surfaceHolder.lockCanvas(null);
       synchronized (surfaceHolder) {
           view.myDraw(c);    //My draw function
     }
 } finally {
     if (c != null) {
         surfaceHolder.unlockCanvasAndPost(c);
     }
 }

 sleepTime = delay-((System.nanoTime()-beforeTime)/1000000); /* 1000000 because 
 of the nanoTime gives us the current timestamp in nanoseconds */

        try {
            if(sleepTime>0){
            Thread.sleep(sleepTime);          

            }
        } catch (InterruptedException ex) { 
        }

 }

Is this code enough to ensure the independent from low frame rate? If not, where is my way to go?

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

http://dewitters.koonsolo.com/gameloop.html

This is one of the best short lessons I know. It shows 3 different ways to do what you are looking for.